Retail Manager
Dear Candidate,
Dear Candidate, It’s great that you are interested in joining our team at Huddersfield Students’ Union. If you haven’t experienced working in a students’ union you will find it a really stimulating and vibrant place to be, and you will be part of an independent charity whose role is to ensure the 20,000 students at the University of Huddersfield have the best possible experience they can. We are looking for a Retail Manager who enjoys the challenge of a fast-paced environment where there is the need to react to changing student needs. We want you to have experience of developing and motivating a team to deliver the highest possible standards of efficiency and customer service. We also would like you to have experience of preparing budgets and business plans and a history of hitting and exceeding targets. The following pages contain a summary of the principal terms and conditions, key dates in the recruitment process and some information about the Students’ Union. Please check you have downloaded everything you need to complete your application and return it electronically. If you would like to have an informal chat about this opportunity please contact me using the details below. Good luck with your application and I look forward to meeting you. Best wishes, Thomas Royle Head of Finance & Business Development 01484 473428 [email protected]
University of Huddersfield Students’ Union Queensgate Huddersfield
HD1 3DH Tel: 01484 473 555
Fax: 01484 432 333
Summary Summary Terms and Conditions
Salary detailed in Job Description
Hours of work detailed in Job Description
25 days pro rata leave per annum, plus bank holidays, discretionary closures at Christmas and Easter
Pension Scheme with 6% employer and 6% employee contributions
Kiddi Vouchers
Cycle to Work Scheme
Based at University of Huddersfield Queensgate Campus This Job Pack Contains:
Job Application Pack Summary
General Information
The Application Process
Job Description
Person Specification
Please send a recent copy of your CV and a covering letter setting out how your experience equips you for the role of Retail Manager and how you meet our requirements to: [email protected] Please also make sure to download our equal opportunities monitoring form and return this alongside your application.
Electronic Application Process
To reduce costs, avoid unnecessary printing and maximise the reach of our recruitment, we manage the initial stages of the application process electronically. This means all the resources which you need to complete your application will be posted online. The Students’ Union also provides an equal opportunities monitoring form as a word document for you to complete electronically and return by email. Key Dates & Return Address
Vacancy Application Deadline Interview Date
Retail Manager Friday 1st December 2017
Friday 8th December 2017
Return Address: [email protected]
General Information Huddersfield Students’ Union is a dynamic, fast paced, student-led organisation representing 20,000+ students at the University of Huddersfield. The Students’ Union runs a variety of services for students including sports, societies, campaigning, volunteering and representation as well as a high profile advice centre, lettings agency and shop. Relocation, Member Engagement and Impact
In January 2014 we moved into a new home within a flagship University development at the heart of campus. We have grown, developed and improved our member engagement activities, in Feb 2015 84.7% of our members agreed with the statement ‘the Students’ Union has a positive impact on my life whilst at University’.
Our Vision and Operating Context Our Vision
To have a positive impact on the lives of all our students Our Mission
To make student life better
Our Values: Quality and PRIDE
Quality We will be innovative to continuously improve Partnership We will achieve more for students by working with partners Representation We are democratic and enable students to lead and make change Independence We are independent and always support students Diversity We value diversity and will be inclusive Engaging We will be friendly and inject fun into our work A copy of our current strategy can be reviewed at http://www.huddersfield.su/strategy Our Members
All students at the University of Huddersfield are automatically members of the Students’ Union. Some key facts about our member are:
57% female
68% mature (>21)
68% full-time (FT/S)
97% UK/EU
3% overseas students
83% undergraduate
18% sandwich Our Leadership
Democracy is at the heart of what we do. Five full-time Student Executive Officers are elected annually as Trustees of the Union. Alongside the Executive Officers there are also five external lay Trustees. This group of people have ultimate responsibility for the Students’ Union, its activities, overall policies and decisions about major issues facing the organisation. The Board of Trustees are supported by a team of professional staff and managers who implement policies and undertake the on-going, day-to-day management of the Students’ Union. There is a core team of over 30 people and we employ over 75 part-time team members (primarily students) who work throughout the organisation Our Democratic Structure
Our democratic governance structure is fully described in the Students’ Union Constitution, and ensures that the organisation is accountable to its student members via the elected Executive. Members are able to guide policy and hold elected members to account through referenda, general meetings, Student Jury and the Trustee Board.
TRUSTEE BOARD
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
STUDENT JURY
REFERENDA & GENERAL MEETINGS
Our Staffing Structure
Staff team members are organised into the following departments/activity areas, each led by a senior manager who reports to the Students’ Union Chief Executive, who is in turn accountable to the Board of Trustees. The departmental and line management structure provides a framework for teams, activities and resources to be organised, we however expect all colleagues to work flexibly to deliver the organisation’s strategic objectives. A full staff list is available at www.huddersfield.su/staff
Chief Executive
Head of Voice, Insight & Advice
Student Voice and
Representation
Student Insight and Research
Student Advice
Head of Activities Communications
& Events
Marketing & Communications
Events Programme
Student Led Activities
Head of Finance and Business Development
Finance & Admin
Housing, Safety Environment
Retail
Our Commitment to Quality
The Union is committed to continuous improvement supported quality programmes. Current accreditations include:
Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative Bronze Award / NUS Quality Students’ Union - Good
Investors in People - Bronze
Advice Quality Mark
Mindful Employer
Huddersfield Students’ Union has committed to:
Re-securing Green Impact Accreditation
Achieving Investors in Volunteering
Improving its Quality Students’ Union accreditation
Achieving Investors in Diversity Our Finances
The Students’ Union has two principal sources of income; a block grant from the University of circa £1.2 million and surpluses from trading operations which have a turnover of circa £1.2million. The Students’ Union is a registered charity there are no shareholders, only members; any surplus made from our trading operations goes towards providing services for our students. Our Commitment to our team development
We are proud of our staff team who deliver the above strategy and impact for our students. Our leadership team are committed to enabling our staff to develop and succeed. Our Investors in People Silver Accreditation recognises this commitment and 87% of our staff team are proud of and would wholeheartedly recommend the Students’ Union as a good place to work. Other findings from our annual staff survey can be found overleaf.
The Application Process Using the Person Specification
The person specification is the list of criteria or requirements regarded as essential and desirable for the post. To be considered for an interview you have to fulfil each of the essential points of the person specification. You will need to demonstrate your abilities by telling us about your experiences. Before you apply, look at the person specification and decide how to relate your skills, knowledge and experience to each point. Try not to repeat yourself by using just one area of your experience to cover more than one requirement. Draw upon your past and present jobs or interests; you may discover you have a broader range of skills than you imagined. Remember that voluntary work or work at home can be as valuable as paid employment. The strongest covering letters will detail with examples how candidates meet all of the criteria, including drawing on previous experiences and transferable skills, whatever it is, the most important thing is to tell us - we are unable to guess or make assumptions.
Shortlisting
After the closing date, all CV’s and covering letters are read very carefully by the Selection Panel to see how each person’s skills and experience relate to the skills and experience in the person specification. Applicants who meet these requirements are shortlisted for interview. Only information contained in the CV and covering letter will be considered in making the decision to shortlist. Interviews
The Selection Panel will be made up of up to four people (including elected Student Officers) who ask similar questions of each candidate covering the person specification criteria. The questions are intended to allow you to expand on your CV and covering letter and to show the panel how far you meet the requirements of the post.
Shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a task either at or before the
interview (this will be outlined in your invitation to interview).
You will have the opportunity to ask questions about the job, conditions of service
etc.
Panel members keep a record of their assessment of each candidate so that the
reasons for their decisions are clear, consistent and justifiable. You should therefore
expect the Panel to be taking notes.
If you are not able to attend the interview we cannot guarantee that an alternative
date will be offered. The Panel will consider requests for alternative dates as they
arise.
We work hard to ensure that every stage of our recruitment process is fair and properly thought out. We want to ensure that everyone is treated fairly Data Protection Act 1998
As part of our recruitment and personnel procedures we may collect and store sensitive personal data about you. We are required by law to obtain your consent to such data being recorded. Sensitive Personal Data is defined by the Act as information relating to any of the following: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health, sexuality or sex life, offences and/or convictions. In relation to recruitment procedures, it is our policy to store data for 12 months after the date, on which it is submitted, for internal auditing purposes. Any information of this nature will be treated confidentially. In relation to individuals appointed to posts, it is our policy to store data about post-holders for the length of their employment by the Students’ Union and for 7 years afterwards (for purposes of providing references). Any information of this nature will be treated confidentially. In signing the declaration at the end of the Application Form you will be giving your consent to sensitive personal information being recorded and stored.
Job Description & Person
Specification
Post Title: Retail Manager Department: Retail Services Responsible to: Head of Finance and Business Development Responsible for: Line management of retail staff team Place of Work: Queensgate Campus Grade & Salary £25,000+ Hours of Work Full time 37.5 hours per week (including some evening and weekend
working)
UHSU Vision and Mission Vision: To have a positive impact on the lives of all our students Mission: To make student life better
Purpose of the post Management, planning, control and development of the Students’ Union Shop to deliver high standards of customer service and achieve business plan objectives.
Core responsibilities
Standards of Performance
Staffing, Development and Training
Motivation and management of staff to increase sales and ensure maximum efficiency.
Developing a team that delivers the highest standards of customer service, through:
Recruitment and selection of staff.
Effective line management practice.
Setting operational standards.
Identifying training needs and developing staff training programmes.
Preparation of rotas and control of staff hours.
Finance, Business Planning & Control
Preparation of annual budget and business plans for approval.
Monitoring performance against budget and providing variance analysis.
All aspects of costs control with particular attention paid to GP and salary costs.
Use of IT and EPOS systems to monitor sales figures, analyse cost of sales and review product GP.
Efficient purchasing of stock to ensure minimal wastage.
Attendance at quarterly committee meetings to report on performance.
Stock, Cash Control & Retail Administration
Purchasing of all stock whilst maintaining an awareness of market trends.
Ensuring stock quantities as well as cost and sales prices are checked regularly to confirm integrity of EPOS system.
Ensuring security and safety of all stock.
Ensuring ordering and control of stock in accordance with financial policies and procedures.
All aspects of cash control and security in accordance with financial policies and procedures.
Continually exploring improved purchasing options with approved suppliers of goods and services.
Maintaining efficient information recording and retrieval systems as required.
Marketing and Promotion
Management of all aspects of the merchandising and display of goods so that it meets standards achieved by other retailing market leaders.
Ensuring planogram and promotional compliance to maximise income.
Set retail prices to achieve gross profits targets whilst remaining competitive and offering value to students.
Attend trade shows, conferences and training as directed by line manager.
Shop Operations
Customer focus to ensure high quality customer care.
Initiate changes to improve the business.
Ensure that proper procedures are in operation for the internal and external security of the shop and its contents.
Ensure health and safety procedures are followed.
Ensure the proper and safe operation of all equipment.
Ensuring the highest standard of cleanliness of shop stock, fixtures and fittings.
Ensuring the maintenance of equipment, fixtures and fittings.
Other Duties and General Responsibilities
To comply with the values of the organisation and contribute to the positive image of the HSU.
To act in accordance with policies and procedures (including Personnel, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities, Financial and Environmental).
To undertake other duties as may reasonably be expected given the incumbent’s qualifications, experience and grade.
Person Specification: Retail Manager
(E) Essential or (D) Desirable Requirements
Measured by: A) Application form P) Presentation I) Interview D) Documentation
Qualifications, Training And Experience
Experience in a management or assistant management role within a retail setting.
D A/I/P
Successful development and delivery of business plans and budgets.
D A/I
Proven track record of results. E A/I
Skills, Knowledge And Ability
Excellent written and analytical skills to monitor trends and budgets and report back to management.
E A/I/P
Excellent communication skills. E A/I
Understanding of relevant law and regulatory frameworks (retail laws, licensing, health and safety, HR, data protection).
E A
Able to exercise and demonstrate best practice with regard to stock, cash and financial controls.
E A/I
Understanding of promotion and merchandising to drive sales.
D A/I
Knowledge of retail trends. D I
Personal Attributes And Attitudes
Able to deliver and role model high standards of customer service.
E A/I
Trustworthy and reliable with demonstrable integrity. E A/I
Commitment to reducing environmental impact. D I
Ability to take responsibility, be self-motivated and work unsupervised.
E A/I
Excellent attention to detail. E A/I
Commitment to own continuous professional development.
D A/I
Commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity. E A/I
Positive about working in a member focused organisation committed to both commercial excellence and delivery of value to members.
E A/I
Holds or able to hold personal license. E A